The Tragedy That Struck All
Princess Grace and Stephanie were taken to a local hospital in Monaco for treatment for their injuries. Surgery was performed on Grace’s lungs to stop the internal bleeding. Her other injuries included multiple fractures of the collar bone, thigh, and ribs. A CAT scan revealed that shortly before the accident, Grace had suffered a stroke which rendered her unable to control the vehicle. Fearing that the princess may survive as a helpless invalid, the royal palace attempted a cover up of the extent of her injuries.
But at 10:30 p.m. on September 14, 1982, Princess Grace was taken off her life-support equipment and she passed, she was 52. Princess Stephanie survived with minor injuries. |
Few princesses live happily ever after. And few fairy tales ever end up quite as imagined. This was surely the case with film actress Grace Kelly.
On the morning of September 13, 1982, Princess Grace and her daughter Stephanie were heading back to Monaco from their vacation residence, Roc Agel. They loaded the car with luggage and prepared for the 35-minute drive back to town. The car was so packed full of belongings, Princess Grace suggested to the chauffeur that she would drive them by herself… bad decision! At 9:30 in the morning, with Stephanie in the passenger seat and Princess Grace behind the wheel, the car set out down a narrow, treacherous and windy road. As the car approached a hairpin curve in the road known as "Devil’s Curse,” it suddenly accelerated to well over 50 m.p.h. The car crashed through the stone barrier before traveling down the 120-foot hillside.
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The Funeral
The body of Princess Grace would lay in state in her open coffin until September 18, when a funeral was conducted in the same cathedral where she was married 26 years earlier. On September 21, Princess Grace of Monaco was laid to rest in the Grimaldi family vault in St. Nicholas Cathedral.
Her marble slab is inscribed with the words, “Grace Patricia, wife of Prince Rainier III, died the year of our Lord, 1982.” Princess Stephanie, her daughter did not make it to the funeral because she was still injured and in the hospital. In fact, Princess Stephanie was not told of her mother's death while she was being hospitalized until two days after it occurred.
Her marble slab is inscribed with the words, “Grace Patricia, wife of Prince Rainier III, died the year of our Lord, 1982.” Princess Stephanie, her daughter did not make it to the funeral because she was still injured and in the hospital. In fact, Princess Stephanie was not told of her mother's death while she was being hospitalized until two days after it occurred.
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Her Legacy Lives OnGrace Kelly remained in the public eye for most of her life. Her on-screen beauty, self-confidence, and mystery enchanted the world, and her serenity and poise as Princess of Monaco drew in the media's attention. She still remains a Hollywood icon of elegance and beauty and carries a legacy that will never be forgotten.
Click below to learn interesting facts about Grace Kelly!
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